


Wings and Thunder

by wanderingjedihistorian (RangerJedi67)



Series: Here There Be Dragons [1]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: 99 is The Best, Alpha class as big brothers, Alternate Universe - Dragons, Gen, Kix was always meant to be a medic, Little dragon clones practicing flying, Rain, Weather on Kamino is not great, flying mishaps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:28:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29389152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RangerJedi67/pseuds/wanderingjedihistorian
Summary: The clones have to be careful not to get caught when training in dragon form. The weather on Kamino doesn’t help with that.
Series: Here There Be Dragons [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1902607
Comments: 14
Kudos: 96





	Wings and Thunder

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to Shira for betaing!  
> And many thanks to Awkwardduckproductions and GoBayern16 for the suggestions on which clones to use for this one! Hope you enjoy it!

SWSWSWSWSW 

To keep from drawing too much notice, the older clones always took the younger ones out a few at time. 99 had been the one to find most of the routes they used and to find the right locations. The Kaminoans, and the trainers, paid him no mind.

“Come now, little ones, the Alphas get impatient!” 99 said gently as he herded the four little CTs towards the lift that would take them down the platform 17 and Fordo were using. 

This was the fourth and final group the pair had on their list for the day. 

“About time,” Fordo grumbled when they finally arrived. More clearly, “the storm is starting to get worse. This is going to have to be short.” 

“I won’t go far,” 99 assured. “Be good, little ones!” 

With that he went back inside, out of the rain. 

“Ok, you two, with me,” 17 said to two of the cadets. 

Waxer nodded. Boil frowned as the rain came down heavier but followed when 17 moved to the far side of the platform. 

“We’re over here,” Fordo said to the other two. 

Kix and Keeli exchanged a look before following the other Alpha trooper. 

SWSWSWSWSW 

“We’re going to shift. You’re going to take off from the platform, fly a few laps of it, then land. How heavy this storm is, we aren’t doing anything fancy. You aren’t ready for that yet. Understood?” 17 asked.

Waxer and Boil look at each other. They had recently gone through a growth cycle. They were _third cycle_ cadets now. They weren’t tubies anymore. They could handle _rain._

“Understood?” 17 asked again.

“Yes, sir!” they chirped.

17 sighed, sounding far older than his years. He ordered them to shift into small forms, then shifted into one a bit bigger, so he would be able to help if either one ended up in distress. Stubborn little cadets always thought they were better at this than they were. They weren't getting hurt on his watch.

SWSWSWSWSW

“Alright, short and simple today. We shift. We loop the platform a few times. We pack it in. Clear?” Fordo asked.

“Yes, sir!” Keeli replied firmly.

Kix’s eyes were already out on the water.

“You’ll be fine. Trust your instincts and trust your brothers,” Fordo said, sensing the younger clone’s unease.

Kix didn’t say it, but he was worried about his brothers as much as he was about himself. He squared his shoulders and nodded firmly.

SWSWSWSWSW

For the first ten minutes, there were no issues. The cadets flew more slowly than normal but with the rain getting heavier it was to be expected. Even older, more experienced dragons could struggle in the rain at times.

Then suddenly, a loud crack of thunder and bolt of lightning far closer than any of the others they had experienced that day. Boil jolted, not expecting the sudden noise and light. It knocked him off kilter which drove him into Waxer faster than he could correct himself. The impact jostled Waxer enough that he tilted. Another crack of thunder sealed it as it startled _both_ cadets as they attempted to separate and straighten. They started to fall. Once that started, 17 knew there was no way the cadets would right themselves. Waxer and Boil were too upset and distracted. He dove. If the cadets hit the water, rescue would be difficult. He wasn’t about to allow it. 17 got beneath them, letting the younger clones land on his back. He could feel the frightened cadets huddling against him after he caught them. Once they were settled, he carefully flew back up to the platform. They scrambled off his back in an uncoordinated tumble of limbs. The Alpha shifted back as soon as they were safe, determined to make sure they were unhurt.

By then Fordo had his two back on the platform as well. Kix immediately marched over to Waxer and Boil and began to look them over. Third cycle and it was already clear he was meant to be a medic. He asked them if they had injured themselves when they collided. Fordo and 17 watched in amusement as Waxer and Boil dutifully answered the other cadet’s questions. Once Kix was satisfied, the Alphas agreed it was time to call the lesson over for the day.

“Alright, back inside,” 17 said, gesturing to the door.

As he did so, another crack of thunder sounded, and lightning flashed far too close for comfort. All four cadets gratefully scrambled towards the doors.

Fordo shook his head. The younger ones would learn how to fly in this weather. Though he and the other Alphas were more patient with their students than Prime had been with the Alpha class. 

SWSWSWSWSW

99 fussed over the wet, obviously still shaken young cadets when they came back inside

“Lesson not go well?” he asked gently.

“I hate thunder,” Boil grumbled discontentedly.

99 was all soft understanding and assurance when he replied, “That’s alright. You have to learn to cope with it, but you don’t ever have to like it.”

“Good. Because I _won’t_ ,” Boil grouched.

“He crashed into Waxer,” Kix informed 99. “I don’t think either of them got hurt, but you should probably double check anyway. I’m not a medic. Yet.”

“You will be,” 99 assured. “And don’t worry, I’ll make sure they’re looked over just to be safe. Let’s get you all back to your barracks.”

99 herded his charges back to where they belonged, carefully passing word to one of the medics in training about the incident so Waxer and Boil could be given a proper once over. Once he was sure they were as unhurt as Kix thought, 99 sent them off to shower and change before heading to the mess hall for latemeal.

SWSWSWSWSW

“You’re going to be a good medic,” Keeli said. “No. A _great_ one!”

Kix smiled softly. “You really think so?”

“Of course,” Keeli assured with a smile, bumping the other’s shoulder with his own as he did.

“You were the only one not worried about the storm,” Kix pointed out. “You’re going to be a great captain!”

Keeli shrugged. “No guarantee I’ll make that. Most won’t.”

“You will. I know it. You’re always so brave!”

SWSWSWSWSW

That night,Boil quietly snuck into Waxer’s bunk.

“I’m sorry I crashed into you,” he said as he huddled close to his brother.

“It’s ok. You got scared. We’ll keep training and you won’t react like that again! It’ll be fine,” Waxer assured.

>He knew the other cadet liked to pretend he was tough and hated to be reminded that he really wasn’t.

“I still don’t like thunder,” Boil groused.

“We live on a planet where it rains and storms all the time. I think you’re going to have to get used to it.”

“I don’t wanna.”

SWSWSWSWSW


End file.
